I did not make my ferry to from Wellington to Picton because it was sold out, so I needed an…read moreimpromptu place to crash in the city that was not going to break the bank. I came upon this place because of the price point and proximity to an easily accessible thoroughfare. When I first checked in the manager seemed a bit puzzled since he was sold out, but he was able to find me a tiny little unit that got the job done! It was very compact, but the space was utilized nicely and though a bit dated, it was clean and functional. It even had an in-suite bathroom, microwave, electric kettle, a little desk/table, and a surprisingly comfortable twin bed. The manager was very nice and accommodating and the parking was right in front off the street. Initially, the area seems a bit seedy, but I went walking after dark by myself and never felt unsafe. The wifi was dependable and fast. The only issue for me was I had some very noisy neighbors, so the evening and early morning was a bit trying w/the noise levels. Other than that, for the price, it was a very comfortable stay. It is also located w/in short walking distance of a supermarket and a little shopping area with a couple of food options.

Thank you for a great stay. Special shout out to Lucas…read moreclub level in the evenings and Anand in the morning. Anand knows how to cook poached eggs and is incredibly friendly and accommodating. Totally worth the money to stay here.

Great value. Booked an executive room at $340 per night…read more Big gorgeous comfortable bed. Large room with 3 seater sofa. Decor a bit dated but clean and bathroom very good with normal and rain shower heads. Our room rate gave us breakfast and access to the executive lounge. In the lounge there was all day tea/coffee, incredible afternoon tea with 3 tier cake stand of goodies and drinks from 5pm also with 3 tier snacks/canapés. I think we got half the room rate back from those things alone. Very friendly staff. Recommend

there is something magical about a 3 PM check in and don't try it at 2:55. That is unless you have…read moreone of the most expensive rooms in the hotel because regular customers -- people have to wait until the clock strikes exactly 3. The people stuttering at the desk trying to explain why my room wasn't ready but would be at exactly 3 PM. Hate mid level hotels that try to be oh so much more then kind, clean and helpful. I would never stay here again ...... especially in a city with lots of other choices.

This hotel is starting to look tired and dated. The room was clean and spacious. But the decor is…read morenot as modern as other hotels. The frosted glass of the bathroom that looks into the bed area was weird. The bed was comfortable and big. The kitchenette has a frig and microwave, as well as an electric stovetop. Parking is very limited. I had to park my vehicle at the street. It was cheaper since it was a friday and the staff said it's free on weekends. I'm not sure how safe it is though, so better take out all the valuables.

Lake Ferry isn't a particularly nice place to visit, however it does have two highlights - the…read moreOnoke Spit, and Lake Ferry Hotel, which is a revelation at the end of the road. We stopped by en route from Cape Palliser and had an unexpected adventure down Onoke Spit, but not without a cup of tea first. Food looked good, but it was the wrong time for us although we did share an overly sweet brownie. The singe server seemed a little stressed when we walked in (only 2 other tables seated) so not sure what it would be like during a busy period, but when we visited, the quietness of the hotel matched the scenery outdoors, calm, tranquil, at ease with itself.

After spending the day before in the rugged high-country landscape and mountainous scenery of the…read moreHakatere Conservation Park, we sailed to New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, also known as "the coolest little capital." So, we asked what makes this city "cool?" And we set out on a 15-minute shuttle bus ride from the Port of Wellington (Aotea Quay) into the CBD, where we noticed the architectural mix of Victorian structures and adventurous modern designs, beautiful and colorful murals with British historical and Maori influences, high-end international and local designer stores mixed in between fast-food cafes such as McDonald's and shawarma cafes. Before getting off the shuttle bus, our guide mentioned the historic yet updated Wellington Cable Car as a popular attraction and pointed out its tucked-away lower station off Lambton Quay, a shopping street. He cautioned that many residents and University students use it, so we might have to "squeeze in" during peak hours, but assured us that during the ride up, we'd be treated to a cool light show similar to 70s disco flashes. At the top of the hill or Kelburn Lookout, there would be a panoramic view of Wellington CBD, a cute museum and cafe, public washrooms, and a free shuttle to Zealandia Bird Sanctuary, Victoria University, and the suburb of Kelburn. As it turned out, after hearing from our shuttle bus guide, four other fellow passengers and their spouses decided to follow us by browsing on Lambton Quay, riding the Cable Car, and going to the Wellington Botanic Garden. I suddenly felt "stressed" because these eight others put their faith into our navigational skills, even though we told them this was our first time in Wellington. We each purchased a single or one-way ticket ($6.50 NZD), waited a few minutes for the funicular railway car to pull into the lower station, and boarded. Along the short, under 8-minute (we stopped at 3 stations along the way) journey, the "cool experience" traveled through 3 tunnels of blinking colored lights, made stops at 3 intermediate stations along the railway, where most of us either craned our necks or contorted our bodies to catch the picturesque views along the way. After exiting the cable car, I rushed over to the lookout area by the cafe took a photo while the others looked for the restrooms. I told them to meet in the museum then we'd regroup then look for the botanic garden. Meanwhile, I asked the store cashier for a map of the city, and she obliged with a free one, even pointing out access to the Wellington Botanical Garden across the street. I breathed a sigh of relief as I regrouped with my husband and the rest of the gang to "lead the way" to the Wellington Botanic Gardens and more. Riding this cable car was a short, scenic, and fun experience which I'd love to return to.

The Wellington Cable Car is both public transportation and super fun tourist attraction in the…read moreheart of Wellington CBD. You can get the low end right in downtown; it has a handful of stops up the mountain which crosses highways and allows you to avoid a plethora of stairs. It runs constantly so you're never waiting more than a few minutes. The upper end is at the top; you'll find botanical gardens, a cafe/restaurant, the free Cable Car Museum, and free shuttle to Zealandia Eco Sanctuary; all these things are must-visits if you love birds and flowers. Tickets are reasonable, and they have student and monthly passes if you live in town. You can buy one-ways or round-trips depending; if you plan on the Botanical Gardens you only need a one-way as it's all downhill back into the city. At the top station there's also a small display from Weta Workshop, which is a fun addition. It's also a great photo location with panoramic views of the city and bay below. This is a must-visit spot in Wellington.

I stayed here for one night while touring New Zealand. The hotel is rather nice. It seemed rather…read morenew and clean, and it's just a few blocks from the waterfront, near the museum, so it also was in a pretty good (but not great) location. The staff was very pleasant at check in and gave some good tips about things to do in the area. The room was very nice and modern. I was impressed with by the granite countertop in the kitchen area and the full size refrigerator. The hotel also had a parking garage, though I did find it difficult to maneuver in. Overall we had a good stay here and I would stay here again.

My best and by far favorite hotel stay whilst in the North Island…read more This place is lovely with its apartment style hotel rooms. It's complete with a living room area, mounted tv, a table set for four. There's a fully stocked kitchen, huge fridge and all the essentials including a kettle, toaster, oven, dishwasher, microwave, knife set, with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate for your consumption. The living room, lounge area is wide open with a 5 seat sofa. The bedroom is comfortable with four fluffy pillows. The bathroom is huge, glass counter top with a sunk in sink; both a tub and shower combo. Just has odd set up with no sliding bathroom door, just a swinging window door. It's an awkward shower placement, that weird swinging door isn't wide enough to keep water from getting out of the bath, so be weary of where you place that bathmat. In the bathroom is also a handy two in one washer dryer. All in all, it was a great stay. The parking situation can be prepaid with the hotel, and it is joined to a parking garage, you'd just have to go through the parking garage elevator to get to the right level then take your hotel elevator up to your room. And our window opened up to a gorgeous view...of the parking garage. That's what I loved waking up to. I only kid, everything else about this place was going for it. Walking distance to Cuba Street, it's very centralized and easy to get to and find.

We stayed here after being in New Zealand for a week. We needed to catch the ferry early in the…read moremorning so it was a great location. It was also helpful that the hotel had a washer/dryer in each room so we were able to clean our dirty laundry. The hotel staff was so friendly and welcoming. We opted for valet parking to keep things easy. You can get your car anytime you want and revalet it for no extra cost. Our room was on the 13th floor, with a cemetery in the back of the hotel, I was wondering if that was a sign, but all went well. Our room was spacious with a living room, kitchen, and bedroom. Beds and pillows were comfy. Shower was nice and hot. The only thing is the building creaked - like a lot. It was hard to sleep at times. It's apparently because of the wind and shifting of the building.

This review is for the deluxe high tea only…read more We started with a selection of whole leaf teas from TWG (Singapore), supposedly only sold only to five star hotels. I selected their signature 1837 Black Tea while my partner tried the Royal Darjeeling and later their South African red tea, Eternal Summer. All of our choices were whole leaf teas with distinctive and complex aromas and taste. We each had a glass of Allan Scott's Cecelia Brut, with fine bubbles, from New Zealand's Marlborough region. On the three tiered tray were savory items including a cheese and bacon scone with an avocado spread, a ham and cheese sandwich and a sausage in a puff pastry. All of the sweets other than the tiramisu were chocolate items. A fruit tart or a scone would have been appreciated. We enjoyed lovely service by a friendly local who was quite engaging and educational about the extensive tea selections available.

The Wellington Railway Station is the terminus of the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand…read more Passengers wanting to continue their journey to the South Island, would then take a ferry to cross over to Picton. Opened in 1937, it now houses the Wellington office of the National Railroad (KiwiRail). Inside, it has the grand ceilings of a classic railway station, clad in Marseille tiles. It was beautiful and airy inside, and worth a walk around to admire the architecture.

Beautiful old railway station from 1937. There are many tracks, ticket windows, an information…read morebooth, clean restrooms, coffee shops a bar... It connects underground to the parliament & government buildings and the bus station. Here we were able get his maps & tourist information from friendly and helpful staff.